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Friday, July 16, 2010

Chalk It Up - A Collaborative Canvas Creation

Chalk It Up48" x 48" Collaborative Mixed Media on Gallery Wrap Canvas

I am posting this painting because the summertime theme seems to work with this subject matter...a bucket of chalk on the sidewalk. Can't you just see the neighborhood kids sitting on the sidewalk talking, playing and creating? This painting was for a membership show at the McKinney Aveue Contemporary. The theme was "Fifteen". The artists are Charles William (Faciall) and myself. I met Charles through the Stewpot Art Program where I volunteer, and we thought it would be fun to work on a piece together...from start to finish.

We discussed several different ideas, and one day Charles found a plastic bucket of fifteen colorful chalks. We took them outside on blistering day, and had a photograph session and played with the chalk on the hot concrete in the 105 degree Texas heat. So we had our inspiration and a reference photograph to work from.We wanted to create something that was fun and exciting. Charles is a very talented artist who works in acrylics...and I needed to adapt to the acrylics since it had been years since I painted in acrylics. I love my oils. Anyway, we got a 48" x 48" canvas and started painting...we had to talk about it all...usually Charles and I sit down in front of the canvas and the art just pours out. We really didn't discuss it...but we both needed to make sure that what we were dong was alright with the other. Soon the piece became mixed media and we added chalk and pastels to the paint to give it a chalky effect.

This collaboration was a great experience for both of us. I think we learned alot about art and about ourselves. We exchanged our views on painting methods and techniques, and exchanged conversation about our daily lives. Charles is a an extremely gifted artist, and unique individual. It was an honor to paint with Charles on this canvas. A portion of the sale will go to Stewpot and then to Charles....It is for sale, and if you would like to purchase, please contact me at: kay@kwyne.com. Currently, it is hanging at Studio Art and Soul down in The Cedars, south of downtown Dallas. I would encourage you to visit the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas Stewpot website: http://thestewpot.org/art.asp. The Open Art Studio is a community outreach serving the at-risk populations of Dallas. It is open to all people looking for an environment to express and create through the medium of art. Thanks for viewing this blog, and have an artful day!

Thanks for your comments....it was a fun experience. I would like to place this painting in a children's hospital, day care,doctor's office----where a fun, colorful and playful piece would brighten up a space. Of course, it needs to be a pretty large space!